Sankey Diagram

The Sankey Diagram visualization is a powerful tool for visualizing flow and relationships between entities in a dataset. It is particularly useful for showcasing the distribution and transformation of values across a system or process.

Sankey Diagram Data Structure

To represent a Sankey Diagram, you can use the following NodeLinkData interface:

type Node = with_optional_properties & {
  name: string;
  category: string;
  labels?: Label[];
};

type Link = with_optional_properties & {
  source: string;
  target: string;
  value: number;
};

type NodeLinkData = {
  nodes: Node[];
  links: Link[];
};

Key Attributes

name: A unique identifier for the node.
category: Categorizes the node into a specific group or cluster.
source: Identifies the source node of the link.
target: Identifies the target node of the link.
value: Represents a numerical value associated with the link that suggests how strongly connected the nodes are.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Flow Representation: Effectively visualizes the flow of values or quantities between entities in a system or process.
Insight into Distribution: Offers insights into how values are distributed and transformed at each stage.

Cons

Complexity with Numerous Nodes: Visual clutter may occur with an extensive number of nodes, affecting readability.
Specialized Use Case: Primarily designed for visualizing flow and distribution; may not be suitable for all types of datasets.